AN ACT establishing the Adult Workforce Diploma Pilot Program.
Summary
HB302 establishes the Adult Workforce Diploma Pilot Program within the Education and Labor Cabinet to help Kentucky residents age 21 and older who do not have a high school diploma earn one while also building employability and career skills. The bill defines key terms, sets eligibility and provider requirements, and limits participation to approved program providers that are regionally accredited high school diploma-granting entities capable of offering remediation, career pathways coursework, credential preparation, career placement services, and assessments of academic skills and prior credits.
The program is structured as a performance-based funding pilot. Approved providers would be paid by milestone: $275 for certain half-credit completions, employability skills certification, or low-hour credentials; $550 or $825 for more substantial credentials depending on training hours; and $1,100 for each high school diploma earned. Providers must submit monthly invoices and annual reports, and the cabinet must report program data to state education and legislative entities. The bill also creates a dedicated fund that can receive general fund, federal, and donated money, and that does not lapse at the end of the fiscal year.
Impact
HB302 would add a new section to KRS Chapter 156 and create a temporary state pilot program administered by the Education and Labor Cabinet. It would authorize a new trust and agency fund, establish provider approval and reporting requirements, require the cabinet to promulgate regulations, and set performance standards for continued participation. The bill would affect adult education providers, workforce training entities, and eligible adult learners without diplomas by tying state payments to educational and workforce milestones rather than traditional enrollment funding.
Sentiment
The bill’s structure suggests generally positive policy intent around adult education, workforce readiness, and credential attainment, with a focus on measurable outcomes and employment advancement. Even without recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears designed to appeal to supporters of workforce development and alternative pathways to a diploma. Its pilot nature, reporting requirements, and sunset date also indicate an effort to frame the proposal as a limited, data-driven experiment rather than a permanent program.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are likely to be cost, accountability, and provider oversight. Because payments are made per milestone and the fund may draw from general fund and federal dollars, lawmakers may scrutinize whether the program is an efficient use of public funds and whether the $7,500 average cost per graduate cap and 50% graduation-rate threshold are realistic. There may also be debate over whether the program should rely on accredited private or nonprofit providers, how strictly the cabinet should regulate them, and whether the pilot should be extended after its 2028 sunset if performance data are mixed.